I finished reading Acts in my bible reading plan today, and the book ends on a somewhat abrupt note. Paul has made it to Rome as a prisoner; he sits in house arrest for two years…. then nothing. No climactic trial before Caesar, no divine rescue from Prison, no further tales of Paul’s missionary journeys. The books simply concludes:
He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:30-31 ESV)
Imagine two years chained to a Roman soldier, unable to leave your house. What would you do with that time? I think one of my chief inclinations would be to think that my ministry was over, that God had taken me out of the game. Paul doesn’t see it this way. He sees God’s hand constantly at work, putting him in the right place at the right time with the right people, all for His divine purpose. Paul may be in prison, but he is just as much “on mission” as if he were preaching in the marketplace or the synagogue. He sees the sovereignty of God in every appointment, and fulfills his calling to preach Christ to all who come to him, continuing to speak with “boldness” even though he’s already in prison for preaching Christ. For Paul, every moment was an opportunity to live for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Have you hit a “speedbump” in your life? Do you ever feel like you’re just biding your time until you get onto the “real” work of God? I admit I have sometimes felt this way, and I repent of this misguided mindset. God is always at work in and through His people. They are never – ever – put on the shelf, never in a place where they cannot be an effective light for Him.
Where has God placed you today? Who has he given you to love, to welcome, or to teach? Start there. Be faithful in the little things moment by moment, and let God put you where he will for his glory – even if it’s chained to a Roman guard, your time doesn’t ever have to be a waste for the kingdom of God. You have divinely set appointments everyday. Are you open to meeting them?
Great article. http://Www.Lisettedefoe.wordpress.com
When you read thru the Book of Acts did you know notice how many times Paul’s Damascus Road testimony is different, Three times he testifies about it and not once are the testimonies the same. Did you notice how Paul lied in court about why he was summoned to Jerusalem? Paul was summoned on account of reports that he was leading an apostasy against Moses, but when Paul testifies under oath, he lies and says it was because he preaching the resurrection. Just a few anomalies that makes one question the authenticity of the man.
Dear Mishayah,
Thanks for your comment. I don’t really have time to go into a whole apologetic for the New Testament, but I will suggest some answers to the issues your raised. I don’t see any difficulty with the differing accounts of Paul’s conversion. If anything they testify to the genuineness of the experience. Non the the details in the three accounts are contradictory, they are just different levels of detail and emphasis. Imagine if you has some huge experience in your life. Would you always recite how it happened word for word to everyone you speak to? Of course not. If you did actually say the same thing word for word over again, I would suggest that might be evidence that you made it up and are trying to “stick to your story”. Paul isn’t doing this, he’s just relating different details at different times.
As for the reason for Paul’s arrest, to suggest he “lied” by saying that he was on trial for his teaching of the resurrection from the dead suggests to me that you don’t clearly understand Paul’s message. The resurrection of the dead – specifically the resurrection of Christ was the heartbeat of everything Paul said and did. It was his teaching that Jesus’ death and resurrection provided the fulfillment of the Jewish law, that enraged the Jewish leaders against him. He wasn’t leading a rebellion against Moses, but was teaching that Jesus was the fulfillment of all that Moses wrote.
If God did not raise Jesus from the dead, Paul would have no message, he would not have had the ability to endure the crazy amount of suffering and opposition which he experienced, and the Church would never have gotten off the ground. It was precisely his encounter with the resurrection Christ on the Damascus road that radically transformed Paul, and empowered his ministry.
Again, thanks for the comment. I sincere hope is that if you want to engage on the issues which I write about, that we can have a mutually gracious attitude toward one another.
Blessings,
Andrew
Hi Andrew:
Acts 21:21 21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
So there we have in acts the reason for Paul being summoned to JErusalem, but when Paul is called to account at court in Acts 23:6 6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
So yes Paul lied. He wasn’t summoned on account of teaching the resurrection but rather for leading an apostasy against Moses.
He claimed it was on account of resurrection but he only said that to the court to divide them.
You had said ‘ Imagine if you has some huge experience in your life. Would you always recite how it happened word for word to everyone you speak to? Of course not. If you did actually say the same thing word for word over again, I would suggest that might be evidence that you made it up and are trying to “stick to your story”
The Apostles of the Lamb stuck to the testimony of Yahshua word for word and never deviated. Were they too ‘just making it up?
Dear Mishayah,
The passage you quote in Acts 21:21 is the report that the Christians in Jerusalem gave to Paul about why the people may be against him. If you keep reading, they say there is no evidence for those accusations, and Paul goes as far as to purify himself and 4 others, paying for their sacrificial vows.
Paul is arrested based on the misunderstandings of a mob, which thought Paul had brought Greeks into the temple (though he didn’t). There were many accusations brought against Paul, but none of them were consistent with each other, and would not even be admissible in trial based on Hebrew law.
So Paul found himself arrested due to the anger and jealousy of the Jews, but it was his preaching of the resurrection of Christ and his people that ultimately lead to his imprisonment. Had he not been preaching the resurrection, you probably wouldn’t ever have heard of Paul outside of Josephus (possibly).
I’m going to have to plead ignorance on “the apostles of the lamb” – never heard of them.
The point again being, that it is rare that one would describe an experience with exactly the same words in exactly the same order every time. The human mind just doesn’t usually work that way.
Thanks again for your interaction.
-Andrew